Minecraft 15th anniversary: Looking back at the biggest accomplishments of everyone's favorite sandbox game

When Minecraft's pre-Indev version (now known as Classic) debuted online in 2009, few could have anticipated the game's eventual record-breaking success. Today, Mojang's sandbox release is enjoyed by millions around the world daily and has created a multimedia franchise that rakes in millions of dollars per year. Now, the studio aims to look back on the title's accomplishments with a new event.

On May 15-29, 2024, the 15 Days of Minecraft event will take place to celebrate the title's 15th anniversary. Players will be able to enjoy free content surrounding the franchise both in the game and outside of it.

Mojang has remarked that it will share some facts on the occasion, which may be tied to Minecraft's history and future. On the subject of the game's history, it doesn't hurt to examine some of the best accomplishments the sandbox title has achieved as it reaches its 15th anniversary.

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Minecraft's greatest accomplishments on the dawn of its 15th anniversary

Becoming the best-selling game of all time

Minecraft has sold over 300 million copies across all of its platforms and versions (Image via Mojang)

Minecraft may have begun as a Java-based PC title, but it has grown to encompass effectively every major gaming platform including consoles, PCs, mobile devices, and more. As a result, it has become the highest-selling video game in history, selling over 300 copies across all of its editions across multiple platforms dating back to its public release in 2009.

One could even argue that the title is even more successful than its sales figures indicate. The China Edition of the game, while being free-to-play, has over 600+ million downloads on its own.

Between sold copies (both physical and digital) and its China Edition downloads, Mojang's title has been obtained in some form or fashion close to (or over) a billion times.

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Becoming the most-watched game on YouTube

Mojang's sandbox game has eclipsed over one trillion views on YouTube (Image via Mojang)

Almost immediately after Minecraft was made publicly available, fans began uploading content of the game to various platforms. However, YouTube's burgeoning popularity in the late aughts proved to be a perfect pairing for Mojang's sandbox sensation. Since then, the title has been almost inescapable on YouTube, with countless players becoming content creators on the platform.

By 2021, Minecraft was the most popular game on YouTube, eclipsing one trillion cumulative views, a number that continues to grow to this day. It's a remarkable achievement for any singular video game, much less one that had such small beginnings.

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The leap into the education space

Education Edition has made Mojang's sandbox title more than a game (Image via Mojang)

In 2016, Minecraft made the leap beyond entertainment with Education Edition, introducing STEM concepts like chemistry and programming. This version of the game has since become a method of classroom instruction in various places of learning. It is available for both educators and after-school chaperones.

While this may not be as massive as the title's sales figures or its YouTube views, the fact that Mojang's sandbox sensation is actively assisting in the learning process of the youth is a major achievement, especially given the fact that educational video games rarely reach such critical acclaim.

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Continuing to have one of the largest active user bases

Mojang's sandbox sensation continues to be played daily by millions even after over a decade since its release (Image via Mojang)

Any title that continues to have millions of active players over a decade after its initial release date is something to behold.

With over 100 million players logging in and enjoying it per month, Minecraft remains one of the most actively played games of all time, oftentimes beating out other massively popular titles.

While it sometimes has its active user count temporarily eclipsed by games such as Fortnite, Mojang's sandbox title still commands a daily and monthly active player base that far surpasses beloved titles like Counter Strike 2, League of Legends, and Grand Theft Auto Online. To be able to garner and maintain such a player base is something that future games can aspire to.